Auto giants are blending an SUV with the body style of a coupe as they bet on the new models to fan the demand for SUVs in the country.

Luxury car manufacturers have this body style in their portfolio — combining SUV styling with race car styling — and mass-market players are exploring this sub-segment, with two companies launching their models last month.

It started with the Tata Curvv EV, which debuted as a concept in 2022. The company has now launched the Curvv.ev and will soon have aninternal combustion engine (ICE) version.

In a multi-powertrain strategy, Tata Motors had planned to bring the SUV coupe body style in its EV version first and has stuck to that plan as it launched the Curvv EV in the first week of August.

Deliveries of the vehicle have commenced in the last week of the month.

But the company is going to follow it up with both petrol and diesel powertrains as it prepares to cash in on this new body style in the mid-SUV category blending the toughness and practicality of an SUV with the sporty silhouette of a coupe.

With a driving range of 585km on a single charge for the 55kWh battery pack and 502km for the 45kWh (ARAI certified), the EV will be available at a starting price of ₹17.49 lakh for the Curvv.ev 45 and at ₹9.25 lakh for the Curvv.ev 55.

Shailesh Chandra, managing director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd, and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd, said: “Tata Motors has pioneered the Indian SUV arena. What’s more, is that we have repeatedly disrupted the category through innovative designs that deliver great road presence as well as enhanced functionality.

“We have once again broken the clutter in the effervescent and aspirational mid-SUV category by introducing the Tata Curvv — India’s first SUV Coupe — a disruptive design which democratizes the coupe body style in the premium categories, providing best in segment performance and never before seen practicality.”

Close on the heels of the Tata Curvv, Citroën launched the Basalt on August 17.

After the success of its C3 and Aircross, Citroën India forayed into the Coupe SUV offering spaciousness and aerodynamic silhouette in its mid-size offering.

The Basalt is only available as ICE with its 1.2L Gen 3 Puretech 110 turbo and Puretech 82 naturally aspirated engines. Priced between ₹7.99 lakh and ₹13.62 lakh, the deliveries of the Basalt will start from the first week of September.

Shailesh Hazela, CEO and managing director, Stellantis India, said, “The Basalt is a direct response to the evolving preferences of Indian consumers. The strong initial bookings indicate the market’s readiness for such a product, and we expect this momentum to grow as more customers experience the Basalt.”

Mahindra and Mahindra are also preparing to forayinto the SUV Coupe sub-segment with its electric portfolio. At the launch of the Thar Roxx, Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director said: “We will have the body style in our EV portfolio.”